This invention relates to a disposable diaper for absorbing and containing excretion.
Japanese Patent Application Disclosure No. 1997-103448 describes a disposable diaper comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed between these sheets. The diaper further comprises a pair of side flaps extending outward beyond transversely opposite side edges of the core and elastic members extending longitudinally of the diaper to be associated with respective leg-openings which are secured under tension to the respective side flaps.
In the case of this diaper described, the side flaps are curved inward transversely of the diaper and the leg-opening elastic members rectilinearly extend between front and rear waist regions longitudinally of the diaper. With this diaper put on the wearer, the respective leg-opening elastic members extending between the front and rear waist regions can not form closed loops around respective thighs of the wearer. Consequently, it is concerned that undesirable gaps might be left between the wearer""s thighs and the respective side flaps and excretion might leak through these gaps.
It is an object of this invention to provide a disposable diaper enabling the leg-opening elastic members rectilinearly extending between the front and rear waist regions longitudinally of the diaper to form the closed loops around the wearer s thighs as the diaper is put on the wearer and thereby to prevent any amount of excretion from leaking along the wearer""s thighs.
According to this invention, there is provided a disposable diaper in the form of a laminated panel comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed therebetween to define a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region extending therebetween, and the panel being provided with a pair of side flaps that transversely extends outward beyond transversely opposite side edges of the core and that extends longitudinally of the panel and the side flaps being provided with leg-opening elastic members that rectilinearly extend longitudinally thereof between the front and rear waist regions and that are secured under tension to respective the side flaps; wherein at least one of the front and rear waist regions is provided between respective said side edges of the core and respective said leg-opening elastic members with a pair of stretchable regions which are elastically stretchable at least transversely of the panel.
The disposable diaper according to this invention enables the leg-opening elastic members to be curved outward transversely of the panel as the stretchable regions formed on the panel are stretched outward transversely of the panel even though the stretchable regions rectilinearly extend longitudinally of the panel before the panel is put on a the wearer. Consequently, the panel can be put on the wearer so that the respective leg-opening elastic members may form substantially closed loop and reliably surround the wearer""s thighs. In this manner, it is not concerned that any undesirable gaps might be left between the side flaps and the wearer""s thighs and any amount of excretion might leak along the wearer""s thighs.